A resurfaced documentary clip shows Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed complaining about “hating” Mackinac Island, one of the state’s most popular tourist destinations.
The footage, taken from the 2020 documentary “How to Fix a Primary” about Mr. El-Sayed’s unsuccessful 2018 run for governor, shows him walking through the island as he says, “I hate Mackinac so much.” Mr. El-Sayed can also be heard suggesting that if his campaign had won, the governor’s summer residence on the island would have become his own vacation spot, adding that he had never enjoyed visiting despite the trip.
The clip was posted by Michigan outlet The Midwesterner on Friday. Mackinac Island is known for its ban on cars, horse-drawn carriages, Victorian architecture and fudge shops, and was named the Best Summer Travel Destination in the country by USA Today readers in 2025 for the third year in a row.
Mr. El-Sayed addressed the clip directly Friday afternoon, responding to a post from the conservative account End Wokeness by questioning whether a place that “bans cars” could be considered the most American place in Michigan.
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